'Sinners' Oscar performance honors music and dance across cultures and history
Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq performed "I Lied to You," the nominated original song from "Sinners." They were joined by a bevy of performers onstage - Misty Copeland, Eric Gales, Buddy Guy, Brittany Howard, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Bobby Rush, Shaboozey and Alice Smith among them - for a near-recreation of the scene in "Sinners" where the song is introduced.
It is one of the more memorable moments in the film, where a blues song in a Mississippi juke joint opens up to showcase hip-hop DJs, rock 'n' roll guitarists, ballerinas and more, illustrating the Black music genre's place at the foundation of American popular culture.
Fans were also surprised with fellow "Sinners" stars Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Jack O'Connell and more on stage, making for a near-recreation of the juke joint scene.
When the live tribute performance to "Sinners" wrapped on stage, there was a slew of applause, some of which came from people who stood for the ovation.
The highest praise may have come from Michael B. Jordan himself, who nodded and smiled.
The message was clear: The star approved, big time.
"I Lied to You" is nominated for best original song, and composer Ludwig Göransson is nominated for original score.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
